Walking animal toy



Aug. 8, 1939. R. SLEESEMAN WALKING-ANIMAL TOY 7 Filed July 14, 1953 INVENTOR P051597 Slffff WAVV W ATTORNEY downwardprojection I9,

' Patented Aug. 8,

UNITED STATES WALKING ANIMAL TOY Robert Sleeseman, Saginaw, Mic-11., assignor of flMflty per cent to Walter F. Klonowski, Saginaw,

Application July 14 1938, Serial No. 219,200,

9 Claims. (Cl. 46-149) This invention relates to'walking animal toys. An object of this invention is to provide a strong, durable and attractive toy of the character described, which shall be relatively inex- ,-5 pensive to manufacture, easy to operate, and 'which shall yet be practical, eflicient and amusing to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed "out.

-'The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of'elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims;

' In the accompanying drawing, in -which is shown one-of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

"Fig. 1 is a side, elevational view of a walking animal toy, embodying the invention, and illus: trating diiferent positions thereof when walking the toy;

Fig. 2 is a side, elevational view of the improved toy, showing the same in still another positlon; and

Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view taken on line l-lof Fig.2.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, III designates a walking toy, embodying the inven tion, comprising a flat, thick body Ii of wood, rubber composition, or other; suitable material. Bald body may have the shape of any suitable toy, for example, a duck, rabbit, or any other animal orobject. 3' In the drawing, the body I I, is shown in the shape of a duck, for the purpose of illustration. r The same has a-head' I2, a front, portion I3 and a rear portion I4. I e

The body II is formed with a through openo ing I i, forwardly of the oenter of gravity of said body. Said body is also formed with an arouate slot I6, below and concentric with theopening- II. The, lower edge I! of the body-is preferably'curved. "At thefront of the body is a 'extendingbelow the curvedbojttomedgel'l. r Rotatably mounted within the opening I! is a pivot pin 29, projecting beyond the body I I on, opposite sides as at 2|. Fixed to' the opposite 50 ends 2| oi'the pin 29, are a pair of similar; par allel, flat members 22, simulating wings and feet .of a duck; The-members 22 may be spaced from opposite sides of the body II by washers 23,.reoeived on the pin to, and interposed between said s; and salt! body. Each member 22 has a' curve 25 andsurface 20 is always rearwardly of bottom portion '24, formed with a curved underedge25, disposedbelow the lower edge II of'the body II. The curve 25 is such that the distance from the-pivot 20 to the back portion of the curve (near 21) is substantiallygreaterthan the cor--- Ii responding distance to the forward portion. I Said members 22 are interconnected by'a dowel pin 26, extending through the slot IS. The members 22 are so proportioned that when said members.

freely han'gby gravity from the pin, the rear end 10 '21 of the portion 24, will be substantially directly below the pivot pin Hand in contact with the 7 floor 30. a Y

The through opening I5, and hence the pivot pin 20, are so located on the body II that when 15 said body hangsfreely by gravity on said pin, the rear portion I4 thereof, will swing downwardly until the pin 26 contacts the rear end of the slot I6. 9

. Screwed to theirear edge of the body II is an 20 eyelet 3|, to which is attached a string 32 for" operating the toy. The operation of the toy will now be described: When the toy is placed on a'flat or slightly-upwardly or downwardly inclined surface 30, the body will swing down to' thepo'sitionshown in, full lines'in Fig. 1 of the drawing, with the forward ends of portions 24 of members 22, andthe rear portion of the body II in contact with the surface 30. 'The toy should be placed about eighteen inches in front of the operator. The operator then pullsupwardlyon the string 22, to swing the body in a counter-clockwise'direction about the pin 29, bringing the projection I9 downwardly into contact with the surface 20. The body is then pulled up further slightly about the projection I9 in a counter-clockwise direction,- raising the level of pivot 20 and freeing the members 22 from engagement with the surface 30.

This operation causes the members 22. to swing forwardly in a'clookwise directionnbrinsing the rear ends of portions 24 of said members 22 into contact with surface 20', as shown in Fig. 2 qf the drawing. The point of-tangency 25;: between the vertical projection .of the pivot 20.-

Upon lowering the string,- the body II will swing forwardly about-pin 29, in a clockwise 'di. rection to bring the toy to the position shown in. full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing. During this last movement,.the members 22 will roll on surface 30 forwardly about their'lower edges-2i. to advance pivot pin 20 and the body II. This rollin: will lower the center of gravity which'provid'es theenergy forthest'ep. 'Thetoy will walk-ll 2' 2,1os,4as

up an incline provided that the relation between the curve 25 and the pivot 2| is such that the center of gravity is lowered during the forward step and lifted when the string is pulled up.

The operation describedabove is then repeated causing the toy to advance step by step forwardly as the string is lifted and lowered by the operator.

If the toy were in the shape of a rabbit or other i four legged animal, the front feet' of the animal 10 would take the place of the projection II. g

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to 1. A walking animal toy comprising a body,

1 formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about and disposed below said opening, apin within said opening and project- 'ing beyond said body on opposite sides, a pair of similar, parallel members on the projecting ends a of said pin, rotatable about the axis of said pin,

and disposed on opposite sides of said .body, and

a member extending through said slot and interconnecting said members, saidmembers having curved undersurfaces, a vertical projection u of the' pin being forward ofthe point 'of tangency of said curved undersurfaces with a flat surface on which the toy is placed, and said curved undersurfaces being such that the distance' from the pin to the back portion of the 40 curved undersurfaces, is substantially greater than the corresponding distance of the pin to the forward portion of said undersurfaces. 2. A walking animal toy comprising a body formed'witha through opening, and an arcuate 5 slot concentric about anddisposedbelow said opening, a pin within said opening and projecting beyond said body on opposite sides, a pair of similar, parallel members. on the projecting ends of said pin, rotatable about the axis of said pin, and disposed on opposite sides of saidfbody, a member extending through said slot and interconnecting said members, and washers on said pin interposed between said body and pair of f members, said members having curved under- 5 surfaces, .a vertical projection of the pin being forward of thepoint of tangency of said curved undersurfaca with ailat surface. on'which the toy is placed, and said curved undersurfaces be 1 ing suchthat the distance from .thepin to the back portion'of the curved undersm'faoes, is substantially greater than the corresponding distance of the pin to the forwardv portion of said 3. A walking animal-toycomprising a body a formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about anddisposed below said opening, a pin within said opening and project- \ing beyond said body on opposite sides. a pair of similar, parallel members on the projecting 7o ends of said'pln, rotatable about the axis of said pin, and disposed on opposite sides of said body,

a member extending through saidslot and'interconnecting said members, an eyelet fixed to the rear of said body,'and a string attached to 75 said eyelet, said members having curved undersurfaces, a vertical-projection of the pin being forward of the point of tangency of said curved undersurfaces with a flat surface on which the toy is placed, and said curved undersurfaces being such that the distance from the pin to the 5 back portion of the curved undersurfaces, is substantially greater than the corresponding distance of the pin to the forward portion of said undersurfaces. i

4. A walking animal toy comprising a body 10 formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about and disposed below said opening, a pin within said,opening and 0 jecting beyond said body on opposite sides, a pair of similar, parallel members on the projecting ends of said pin, rotatable about the axis of said pin, and disposed on opposite sides'of said body, a member extending through said slot and interconnecting said members, an eyelet fixed to the rear of said body, a string attached to said eyelet, said body having a curved bottom edge. and being formed with a projection at the front, extending below said curved bottom edge, said members having curved undersurfaces, a vertical projection of the pin' being forward of u the point of tangency of said curved undersurfaces with a flat surface on which thetoy is placed, and said curved undersurfaces being such that the distance from the pin to the back portion of the curved undersurfaces, is substantially greater than the corresponding distance of the pin to the forward portion of said undersurfaces.

5. A walking animal toy comprising a body formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about and disposed below said opening, a pin within said opening and projecting'beyond said body on opposite sides, a pair of similar, parallel members on the projecting .ends of said pin, rotatable about the axis of saidpin,'and disposed on opposite sides of said a; body, a member extending through said slot and interconnecting said members, an eyelet fixed to the rear of said body, a string attached to said eyelet, said body having a curved bottomv edge,

and being formed with a projection. at the front,

edges with a flat surface on which the toy is placed, and said pin being closer to the forward .ends of said underedges than to the rear ends thereof.

.6. A walking animal toy comprising a body formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about and disposed below said opening, a pin within said opening and projecting beyond said body on opposite sides, a pair of similar, parallel members on the projecting ends of said pin, rotatable about the axis of'said pin,- and disposed on opposite sides of said body, a member extending through said slot and interconnecting said members, and washers on said pin interposed between said body and pair of washers, said pivot pin being disposed forwardly of the center of gravity'of said body, whereby the rear of said body tends to swing downby gravity about said pivot pin, said members having curved undersurfaces, a vertical projection 70 of the pin b'eing forward of the point of tan-- gency of said curved under-surfaces with a flat surface on which the toy is laced.- and said curved {under-surfaces being an b that the distance from the pin to the back portion of the 1 curved undersurfaces, is substantially greater than the corresponding distance of the pin to the forward portion of said undersurfaces.

7. A walking animal toy comprising a body formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about and disposed below said opening, a pin within said opening and projecting beyond said body on'oppositesides, a pairf of similar, parallel members on the projecting ends of said pin, rotatable about the axis of said pin, and disposed on opposite sides of said body, a member extending through said slot and interconnecting said members, an eyelet fixed to the rear of said body, a string attached to said eyelet, said body having a curved bottom edge,

and being formed with a projection at the front, extendingbelow said curved bottom edge, said pair of members having curved underedges disposed below the curved bottom edge of said body,

said pivot pin being disposed forwardly of the .center oi gravity of said body, whereby the rear end of said bodytends to swing down by gravity about said pivot pin, a vertical projection from the pin being disposed forwardly of the point of tangency of said underedges with a flat surface on which the toy is placed, and said pin being closer to the forward ends ofsaid underedges than to the rear ends thereof.

8. A walking animal toy comprising a body formed with a through opening, and an arcuate slot concentric about and disposed below said.

opening, a pin within said opening and projecting beyond said body on opposite sides, a pair of similar, parallel members on the pro- Jecting ends of said pin, rotatable about the axis of said pin, and disposed on opposite sides whereby the rear end of said body tends toswing down by gravity about said pivot pin, said pair of members being so proportioned that upon permitting said members to hang freely by gravity from said pivot pin, the rear ends of the curved underedges thereof will be disposed substantially below said pivot pin. a vertical. pro-- Jection from the pin being disposed forwardly of the point of tangency of said underedges with a flat surface on which the toy is placed, and said pin being closer to the forward ends of said underedges than to the rear ends thereof.

9. A walking animal toy comprising a body, a member pivoted to the body and having a curved underedge disposed below the lower edge otthe body, a string attached to the rear of the body, a vertical projection from, the pivotal connection ofsaid member being disposed forwardly of the point of tangency of said underedge with a flat surface on which said toy is placed, the distance from the pivotal connection of said member to the back of the curved under dse being substantially greater than the corresponding dis-'- tance to the forward portion of said underedge.

' ROBERT SLEESEMAN. 

